Will land deal signal more cooperation?

Published: Sunday, April 20, 2014 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 18, 2014 at 3:56 p.m.

Henderson County may finally be able to sell land it owns in Buncombe County, a relic of its failed 1995 regional water agreement, and use the proceeds toward a firing range in partnership with Asheville and Buncombe County.

County commissioners agreed Wednesday to sell the 137-acre tract on the French Broad River. They hope to split the proceeds with Asheville, potentially walking away with $1 million that could be put toward a joint shooting range/law enforcement training facility.

If that happens, it will signal better cooperation between the county and its neighbors after years of legal maneuvering and threats, says N.C. Rep. Chuck McGrady, who helped facilitate conversations about a regional law enforcement training facility.

“It is an important event — probably more important for its potential to get Henderson County and the city of Asheville working together than for what was actually resolved by the inter-local agreement,” McGrady said.

This all depends on Asheville City Council approving the agreement in a vote expected Tuesday. Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer has indicated she’ll support it. She called it “a win-win, because not only do we resolve what to do with the property, but each body can use the revenue for a greatly needed training facility.”

Things have surely changed from two decades ago when Asheville came to Henderson County asking for permission to build a $33 million water treatment plant and transmission lines on the Mills River. In exchange for allowing that plant to be built (almost next door to Hendersonville’s water treatment plant) Asheville was supposed to extend water lines in the northern part of our county. The county also got the 137 acres near Bent Creek as some sort of collateral toward eventually joining the Metropolitan Sewage District.

Things didn’t work out as planned, though. Asheville balked at extending lines to some Henderson County industries, setting off a feud that lasted years. Asheville, which owned all the infrastructure and held all the cards, backed out of the regional water authority, which it turned out had no real authority.

The problem was the agreement was vaguely written and did not adequately protect Henderson County’s interests. For instance, the Bent Creek property supposedly had some value as a site for a sewage treatment plant, in theory giving the county bargaining power to join the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County (MSD). How anybody thought that state regulators would ever allow a sewage plant to be built next to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Biltmore Estate is beyond belief. That 137 acres was a token tossed in to try to sweeten a deal that should have smelled sour, given Asheville’s history of throwing its weight around with its neighbors.

In the name of regional cooperation, our county leaders gave Asheville access to a prime local water source — forever. However, the businesses and industries that needed water service did end up getting served.

Commissioner Mike Edney, an attorney, was on the board in the 1990s and supported the regional water agreement. Edney also helped broker the pending deal to share proceeds from the sale of the Bent Creek property with Asheville.

Running for re-election, Edney is touting the benefits that came out of the water agreement, including water and sewer service along the N.C. 280 corridor, $330 million in investments and 1,000 jobs. Edney’s opponent, Andrew Riddle, says Edney only acted when faced in an election year with a deadline that would have had the Bent Creek property revert to Asheville’s ownership.

Other incumbent commissioners are hailing the potential deal as a breakthrough, although some of the same members years ago opposed a settlement with Asheville that would have netted Henderson County a similar sum.

If it takes a deadline and an election year to finally resolve part of this mess, all the better. At least local elected officials seem to know how to act for the common good when faced with elections, unlike Congress, which becomes more gridlocked to deny the other side an election year victory.

If the land sells, and the county clears $1 million and cooperates with Asheville and Buncombe County on a shooting range, it will signal better cooperation and help smooth over long festering hard feelings. We’ll keep our fingers crossed and see how this and other matters that need regional cooperation play out.

<p>Henderson County may finally be able to sell land it owns in Buncombe County, a relic of its failed 1995 regional water agreement, and use the proceeds toward a firing range in partnership with Asheville and Buncombe County.</p><p>County commissioners agreed Wednesday to sell the 137-acre tract on the French Broad River. They hope to split the proceeds with Asheville, potentially walking away with $1 million that could be put toward a joint shooting range/law enforcement training facility.</p><p>If that happens, it will signal better cooperation between the county and its neighbors after years of legal maneuvering and threats, says N.C. Rep. Chuck McGrady, who helped facilitate conversations about a regional law enforcement training facility.</p><p>“It is an important event — probably more important for its potential to get Henderson County and the city of Asheville working together than for what was actually resolved by the inter-local agreement,” McGrady said.</p><p>This all depends on Asheville City Council approving the agreement in a vote expected Tuesday. Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer has indicated she'll support it. She called it “a win-win, because not only do we resolve what to do with the property, but each body can use the revenue for a greatly needed training facility.”</p><p>Things have surely changed from two decades ago when Asheville came to Henderson County asking for permission to build a $33 million water treatment plant and transmission lines on the Mills River. In exchange for allowing that plant to be built (almost next door to Hendersonville's water treatment plant) Asheville was supposed to extend water lines in the northern part of our county. The county also got the 137 acres near Bent Creek as some sort of collateral toward eventually joining the Metropolitan Sewage District.</p><p>Things didn't work out as planned, though. Asheville balked at extending lines to some Henderson County industries, setting off a feud that lasted years. Asheville, which owned all the infrastructure and held all the cards, backed out of the regional water authority, which it turned out had no real authority.</p><p>The problem was the agreement was vaguely written and did not adequately protect Henderson County's interests. For instance, the Bent Creek property supposedly had some value as a site for a sewage treatment plant, in theory giving the county bargaining power to join the Metropolitan Sewerage District of Buncombe County (MSD). How anybody thought that state regulators would ever allow a sewage plant to be built next to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Biltmore Estate is beyond belief. That 137 acres was a token tossed in to try to sweeten a deal that should have smelled sour, given Asheville's history of throwing its weight around with its neighbors.</p><p>In the name of regional cooperation, our county leaders gave Asheville access to a prime local water source — forever. However, the businesses and industries that needed water service did end up getting served.</p><p>Commissioner Mike Edney, an attorney, was on the board in the 1990s and supported the regional water agreement. Edney also helped broker the pending deal to share proceeds from the sale of the Bent Creek property with Asheville.</p><p>Running for re-election, Edney is touting the benefits that came out of the water agreement, including water and sewer service along the N.C. 280 corridor, $330 million in investments and 1,000 jobs. Edney's opponent, Andrew Riddle, says Edney only acted when faced in an election year with a deadline that would have had the Bent Creek property revert to Asheville's ownership.</p><p>Other incumbent commissioners are hailing the potential deal as a breakthrough, although some of the same members years ago opposed a settlement with Asheville that would have netted Henderson County a similar sum. </p><p>If it takes a deadline and an election year to finally resolve part of this mess, all the better. At least local elected officials seem to know how to act for the common good when faced with elections, unlike Congress, which becomes more gridlocked to deny the other side an election year victory.</p><p>If the land sells, and the county clears $1 million and cooperates with Asheville and Buncombe County on a shooting range, it will signal better cooperation and help smooth over long festering hard feelings. We'll keep our fingers crossed and see how this and other matters that need regional cooperation play out.</p>